Yoav Segalovitz Sparks Controversy by Joining Mansour Abbas's Ra'am Party
Former Israeli deputy minister Yoav Segalovitz sparked controversy by joining Mansour Abbas's Ra'am party, becoming the first Jewish candidate in the party's history ahead of the elections.
Politician Yoav Segalovitz sparked a major controversy in Israel after announcing on August 31 that he is joining the Ra'am party led by Mansour Abbas. Segalovitz, who previously served as Deputy Minister of Public Security in the 36th government of Israel, is expected to be placed second on the party's electoral list ahead of the upcoming elections.
Ahead of the vote, Segalovitz appeared on the "Esnahyim" program on Channel 13, where he discussed his decision to join the Arab-Israeli Islamist party, which represents the southern faction of the Islamic Movement in Israel. During the interview, host Esnahyim asked him to address public criticism regarding his controversial move, noting that some critics accuse him of aligning with supporters of Hamas.
The veteran politician dismissed the criticism, stating that Israeli Arabs did not attack on October 7. He emphasized that Hamas led the assault, which also claimed the lives of Israeli Arabs and Bedouins, and noted the heroic actions of Bedouin citizens who saved people from the Nova music festival, as well as the plight of the Ziyadne family hostages.
Segalovitz previously served as a member of the Knesset for the "Yesh Atid" party from the 21st to the 25th Knesset. Last month, he resigned from "Yesh Atid" led by Yair Lapid and stepped down from parliament before joining Ra'am, becoming the first Jewish candidate in the party's history.
